INTRODUCTION

Warm greetings to you!

We are humbled you are taking the time to get to know us through these pages. Thank you for allowing us to show you who we are and why we will be the right fit for your child. 

We are not perfect. At any given time there are clean clothes waiting to be folded or put away, our kitchen sink often has a dish or two begging to be cleaned. And there are toys strewn about on the floor, frozen where they were dropped in favor of a new activity or in the excitement to see who was at the door. The only thing missing in this picture is another bundle of joy, another little one to complete our family. 

We hope as you read our profile you see something more than just the words, but who we are as people and parents. People who treat everyone with dignity and respect and parents that are open and supportive. Both of us are from large families that support us and we have learned that there is an extended family that is just as important that surrounds us - friends, neighbors and our community. We view this process as a way to grow both families.

We love being parents, offering nurturing guidance in someone’s life, watch them grow as individuals, observing the wonder of the world through the eyes of a child - to argue about bedtime or why ketchup on broccoli isn’t a good idea (or maybe it is?). Yes, we are in fact looking forward to the sleepless nights an infant brings because Owen (son age 9) has taught us that with those long sleepless nights comes the wonder and joy another child will bring to our family.

about us

Communication is key

We have been together for fifteen years and married for eleven. We met while playing softball (poorly) and immediately hit it off. Since then we have been laughing and learning from each other every day. Early on we learned that communication is the key - we talk about problems and how we are feeling. The best way to help one another is to understand them and not always trying to fix things. Having our son, Owen, just added more to the mix. 

Family gatherings take place in a small arena. We truly enjoy spending time with our family as we spend many of our vacations with family and our son loves all the cousin time! We put family first and we take time to nurture our relationships. ​

We enjoy spending time together. When we are not being homebodies, we enjoy biking, kayaking, walking, camping, eating out, watching goofy movies, spending time with friends and laughing.

“We are lucky enough to have a family cabin on lake nearby. It is a log cabin and our favorite place to gather with extended family to swim, fish, skip rocks and just relax.”

our hobbies

The Whole Family

Benjamin likes being a big kid by joining in the fun, be it sledding, racing Matchbox cars or a water balloon fight. He is an avid reader and enjoys playing games of all kinds (online or board games).

Mary Bridget enjoys a good laugh, seeing things through the eyes of a child, finding fun projects that the whole family can enjoy. Gardening, hiking and kayaking, camping, reading.

Owen really loves playing tennis, swimming any chance he can and anything Mario related. He loves to ride his bike in the neighborhood and going to the local YWCA to play or swim. In the winter, sledding is a favorite past time.

our home and families

We are lucky to have so many family members close to us to share our experiences.

We live on a quiet cul-de-sac surrounded by trees right next to the Erie Canal. It gives us opportunities to go kayaking or take a trail to nearby schools and parks. In the winter we can sled in the back yard or snowshoe on the trail behind the house. During the summer we like to work in the garden growing vegetables and watching movies on the porch. We love having friends come over to explore the surrounding forest, canal and trails or play tennis in the circle.

Mary Bridget’s mom “Nina” is a short drive away and hosts many of the family holidays. One of Mary Bridget’s sisters and her four teenagers/young adults are just 10 minutes away and loves to make big meals and catch up. We see her other nieces and nephews on a regular basis as most live within just a couple hours’ drive. One sister lives in Kentucky which makes for fun road trips for family time!

Benjamin’s family lives in the midwest, mainly Minnesota. We get to visit them often and enjoy our time with them, playing games, having meals together or making memories visiting new places. All together (between both our families) there are 30! nieces and nephews between the ages of 6 and 31. And every one of them is excited about a new cousin joining the family!

fun facts

A few of our favorite things

Can’t Live Without
Mary Bridget Camera
Benjamin The internet

Dream Job
Mary Bridget Travel show host
Benjamin Movie critic

Children’s Book
Mary Bridget Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
Benjamin Harold and the Purple Crayon

Collect
Mary Bridget Plants
Benjamin Music-I have over 900 albums!

Seasonal Activities
Mary Bridget Swimming at the lake or hiking
Benjamin Water balloon fights, biking, tennis

“We both come from large families. Mary Bridget has 6 siblings and 19 nieces and nephews. Benjamin has 5 siblings and 11 nieces and nephews. ”

in closing

Thank you for reading about us!

Thank you for taking the time to read through our profile. We hope that it helped getting to know us better as a couple and parents. 

We are a down-to-earth family that enjoys life in a playful, lighthearted way and will love your child unconditionally. We thank you for considering us in your adoption journey. This is an important decision and we welcome the opportunity to answer any questions you might have. We look forward to connecting with you and sharing the adoption journey.